I'm watching Dateline about hunger in the US, and these stories are heartbreaking.

[Curmudgeoness]

But what keeps sticking in my head is one of the women who is in dire straits. She was singing along with the radio---"I'm proud to be an American, where at least I know I'm free." I am hurting for these people, but I am now wondering how they can be proud of a country that allows them and their children to go hungry.

Is anyone else watching this? Your feelings?

[CBR]

1. I am watching. It is heartbreaking.

The Dad who was sleeping the basement to stoke the stove. :cry:

[ThomWV]

2. That lady is not proud of anything, its just a catchy tune

Orwell said that music is the enemy of thought - he was right.

[Bitwit1234]

3. I don't understand how people can go out and by yachts, multiple

houses, cars etc and see all those children going to bed hungry. I get so sick when I see the rich wining lotteries and hoarding 600M CEO bonus I could scream. I have one wish and that was to win the 300M lottery, well maybe two. After I won that much the other one would be to be able to start some kind of business where I could hire a lot of people. And start a chain of business across the country that would put people back to work. I also would not let a republican near running any part of the business or get their filthy hands on any of it. Republicans and tea bags can go exactly where they should all be...Hades.

All that damn money sitting in the pockets of companies who won't create jobs because they want the A-hole republicans back in so they can make more money.

The person long ago who wrote the phrase '''the love of money is the root of all evil" sure as hell knew what they were talking about.

[Axle_techie]

5. the love of money is the root of all evil

is biblical
1Timothy 6:10
"For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."

[Ruby the Liberal]

7. St. Timothy

1 Timothy 6:10 -- For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

[NutmegYankee]

12. That person was Paul of Tarsus (Apostle Paul).

It was in one of his letters to Saint Timothy, whom he mentored.

[Kievan Rus]

26. The Bible is unequivocally against greed/blind consumerism

1 Timothy 6:10, Matthew 25:40 -- two passages that the Teabaggers will rarely (if ever) mention.

Pope John Paul II, in addition to progressive Protestant leaders and several Orthodox priests, often spoke against blind consumerism.

In addition to Christianity, pretty much every other major world religion is also against greed/blind consumerism.

[McDiggy]

4. Good stuff.

This is a great little documentary. About 45 minutes from where I grew up in Parkersburg. It really hits close to home.

Honestly, it just serves to piss me off more than anything else. But this is the REAL working poor. The Rust Belt meets Appalachia. Crippling depression on crippling depression.

[Ilsa]

6. Give to one's local food bank or other provider of food to the needy.

My local foodbank is on my bill pay page on my bank account's website. (I added them as a "bill".) It makes it easy to remember to send them money every month if I have a few bucks left over. My family has been fortunate, and we aren't rich by a ong shot.

[Curmudgeoness]

10. I agree. Food banks are so vital to many people who are lost in the system.

[MichiganVote]

8. This is the America that the wealthy in Congress want. This is what

the corporations that we give tax breaks to want for American children. This is what the wealthy who benefit from tax breaks that they do not want to expire--this is what they want.

Of course we don't understand it. Of course it makes no sense. But this IS what they want.

[Curmudgeoness]

11. But heaven forbid we have abortion. Don't worry about the children born.

This is some really screwed up philosophy.

[MichiganVote]

22. Its a favorite tactic of the wealthy or the morbidly religious to judge the choices of

the poor or the middle class harshly. The priorities of the wealthy are somehow sacrosanct.

Help stop the myth making. Wealthy people have just as many of not more crazy, hairbrained and downright stupid priorities as any one else. The difference is that they can choose among a thousand and one ways to get out of a bad situation. Whereas the less privileged have between one and three choices to improve their lot.

But that is the America they want.

[Kievan Rus]

28. And this is why everybody opposed to the corporatist agenda needs to vote in November

As far as I'm concerned, any progressive that doesn't vote this November is implying they have nothing wrong with a continued corporatist takeover of government and society as a whole.

The Democrats may be far from perfect, but they're far more preferable than the GOP corporatist toadies.

[Oceansaway]

9. Paper Plates !...Cool Idea !!....nt

[IndianaGreen]

13. I changed the channel!

It was just too depressing to watch.

:-(

[Stargazer99]

14. I for one am fed up with the "better than others" in this country

I have stated before if I could leave this country and go to another one in Eastern Europe I would. Sucides are up 75% according to the lastest statics. I understand why when a gentleman had lost his job he killed his family and himself.

I lost my adult daughter because she didn't qualify for medical care. Her income $725.00 a month was beyond what the State of Washington would allow for medical care.

I feel like I'm living in hell every morning I open my eyes. I know there are others in worse shape...freedom to have your sons & daughters be killed in the wars so big oil can survive while it is killing the planet is not freedom. It is the powerful using and disposing of the powerless. Also while the monied don't have to send their sons/daugters to the front line because there is no draft.Reminds me of the govenor wanting to run for president when asked why his sons weren't in Iraq the answer was his sons were serving his country because they were working on his election. Just how stupid are Americans? Pictures of the fallen are not allowed in the media, nothing like being controlled, huh? charging the wounded for their equipment and food in the hospital is beyond decency. But the monied in this country know how to make you pay and pay so they don't have to.

Freedom to lose one's job and run out of unemployment is not freedom. Freedom to have a hungry, homeless family is not freedom. When is the middleclass going to stand up and stop this? When we had unions a business could be forced to treat its employees well or be destroyed. It is time for all of us to stand behind each other. Divided they fall, remember?

[Curmudgeoness]

17. I am so sorry for your loss of your daughter. Not acceptable.

The richest country in the world, and we refuse to help the needy. And especially the working poor and lifetime workers who are now out of work. Unconscionable.

[Kievan Rus]

29. The United States is the embarassment of the Western world, IMHO

[Sisaruus]

15. I guess I'll go to work tomorrow.

I'm the head of fundraising for a food bank which serves a network of 650 local pantries and soup kitchens. I have to raise $20,000 every business day so we can keep feeding 300,000 people - in the richest state in the U.S. Haves and have-nots.

[prolesunited]

18. Thank you for the vital work that you do

[prolesunited]

16. Here's a link to the show

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38382773/ns/dateline_nbc-america_now

And, of course, the message board is filled with people perpetuating lies and stereotypes and generally kicking the people featured even harder. It's like you can feel them spitting on them through the Internet. I'm not sure which made me more depressed -- watching the show or looking at the comments.

[Curmudgeoness]

19. Oh god, I am shocked by some of those comments.

Thank goodness I continued to read far enough to hit the "wtf is wrong with us???" comment. Gov. Strickland said something really interesting in the interview---"It became stylish to be selfish. It’s almost acceptable to be prejudiced against poor people."

[bobbolink]

21. "Almost" acceptable to be prejudiced against poor people?

He should walk in the shoes for a while, and he would find out that its not only "acceptable", but it is downright HATRED.

[prolesunited]

23. I think part of it is fear, masked as hatred

For many, they are only one or two paychecks away from disaster themselves. The condemnation of the victims is so palpable. They made the mistakes; they don't hustle enough; it is their fault.

What the people are really saying is: I made the right decisions; I am smarter; I try harder -- this will *never* happen to me. But, somewhere, deep inside, they know it could be them, in spite of all of their protestations to the contrary.

[Foo Fighter]

34. Yes, I think that's part of it.

They like to think this can't happen to them. They point out the "mistakes" the poor people made that landed them in their predicament that make it "their own damn fault." Those judging the poor say, well, *I* would never make those mistakes. It's a defense mechanism that allows them to think "it can't happen to me."

Until it does. All it takes is one bad medical diagnosis and/or a job loss or two and suddenly their world is upside down.

The VAST majority of us are not immune to this. But sadly, a lot of people think they are. They prefer to blame the individual rather than blame the system that props up the rich at the expense of everybody else. If the Wall Street Bailout didn't open their eyes, I don't know what will.

[Kievan Rus]

30. Prejudice against the poor is oftentimes a front for racism

[Curmudgeoness]

31. Possibly, but this particular program was focussed on whites. nt

[Kievan Rus]

33. I know. But anti-poor rhetoric as a whole is often racist

For example, welfare myths, "welfare queens," stuff like that, often does have a racial component to it.

[SocialistLez]

32. Why Americans Hate Welfare sort of explores this. NT

[reformist2]

20. Bottom line: Capitalism doesn't work all that well.

[Grabo]

24. Bottom line: Capitalism doesn't work all that well.

It's a little known fact that capitalism is the only economic system that anybody has ever gone hungry in.

[Curmudgeoness]

25. I don't think so. Before the French Revolution, Medieval serfdoms,

Jesus' times, India, China, North Korea right now---every society has had the poor and the hungry.

[TomClash]

27. It's an old story

It's the class war. These are the people who are to poor, tired, and/or good to fight.

The wealthy always fight for their class. Always.

[riverbendviewgal]

35. Today I received an email from my brother who lives in the USA

My Canadian friends just shake our heads at the extremes in America. such selfishness and greed that seems to want to make people who have the least suffer.

My brother sent me another one with a rant about taxes going up....being taxed on health benefits now so that the lazy and illegal immigrants can get free health care. He was referring to 2011 W-2 Tax Forms and HR3590

This is what he said "this has to go out to every American in the country... whoever is in office has to be voted out in November.... it is getting out of control and they are the ones controlling... the only answer they come up with is tax, tax and tax.....except for them... there is only one thing they understand,, and that is the election... take a look at Charles Rengel and John Kerry,,, i think you will all understand,,, they want to tax us, but they really hate ;paying any taxes

He was responding to this email that was sent to him.

> > Starting in 2011 (next year folks) your W-2 tax form sent by your employer
> > will be increased to show the value of whatever health insurance you are
> > given by the company. It does not matter if that's a private concern or
> > Governmental body (Medicare) of some sort.
> >
> > If you're retired? So what; your gross WILL go up by the amount of
> > insurance you get.
> >
> > You will be required to pay taxes on a large sum of money that you have
> > never seen.
> >
> > Take your tax form you just finished and see what $15,000 or $20,000
> > additional gross does to your tax debt. That's what you'll pay next year.
> >
> >
> > For many it also puts you into a new higher bracket so it's even worse.
> >
> > This is how the government is going to buy insurance for 15 % that don't
> > have insurance and it's only part of the tax increases.
> >
> > Not believing this I researched the summaries and here's what I'm reading:
> >
> > On page 25 of 29: TITLE IX REVENUE PROVISIONS- SUBTITLE A: REVENUE OFFSET
> > PROVISIONS - (sec. 9001, as modified by sec. 10901) Sec.9002. "requires
> > employers to include in the W-2 form of each employee the aggregate cost
> > of applicable employer sponsored group health coverage that is excludable
> > from the employee's gross income."
> >
> > Joan Pryde is the senior tax editor for the Kiplinger letters. Go to
> > Kiplinger's and read about 13 tax changes that could affect you. Number 3
> > is what I just told you about.
> >
> > Why am I sending you this? The same reason I hope you forward this to
> > every single person in your address book. People have the right to know
> > the truth because an election is coming in November and we need to vote
> > out incumbents. This is horrid law!
> >
> >

> > Yes, some Americans in legitimate need of assistance will receive benefits
> > from this reform but keep in mind that WE,THE WORKING AMERICANS WILL BE
> > SUBSIDIZING THE COST OF HEALTH CARE FOR THE NON WORKING (who elect not to
> > work) AND THE NON AMERICANS!.(who elect to come to this country illegally)
> >
> > Remember this in the November elections. Vote out the incumbents
> >
> > Please don't waste your time with a rebuttal back to me. This is my
> > opinion and I stand by it. It is a poorly designed health care plan.
> >

Well I sent him my two cents about MY Canadian system. I refer to my son and husband Chuck who both died of cancer 18 months apart, diagnosed 2 months apart.

"We in Canada are taxed on health benefits. No big sweat. My girlfriend makes 100 grand. she says our taxes are ok by her. I am retired....don't pay anything for health care except for supplementary.I made 60 k last year and was taxed 22 percent. My girlfriend pays more. When I am 65 my prescription drugs will cost me $100 annual fee and then $2 bucks a prescription , no matter what it is. When I worked my employer and I both shared the load for health benefits. and the cost of the health benefits were added to my salary.

Kevin and Chuck had millions of dollars worth of health care. They got the best of treatment for what they had. We never worried if we could afford any new treatment. Our doctors never denied them anything. It was all the latest of treatments. It cost nothing. When they died I was not in debt nor did I owe anything to doctors or hospitals.

really, if you have no good health you have NOTHING.

Remember you said you wouldn't send me this stuff I am sending you a positive message on this subject.


I love my health care up here ...It is very wonderful. we have a lots of good stuff that we get with our taxes.
No one is turned away or goes in debt for health care.

IN Canada we have compassion , empathy and a great deal of concern and care for all our citizens.
we are all in this boat together.

Up here we don't understand why there is such a fight against this one payer health insurance ....why can't everyone down there get Medicare? Everyone would be on the same level. If we, in Canada, can do it, why can't the richest country in the world do it?

When NAFTA was on the table one thing Canada did was take off the table our health care for negotiation...we did not want what the USA has. the other thing was WATER.....that is a human right and not a commodity. We have so much fresh water in our country and we are not going to sell it and let people die if they can't afford it.

Preventive medicine like checkups will prevent much major illnesses. If people don't go to doctors for the little things because they can't afford it, then major costs will happen.

I just don't understand this hatred of this health system that would be for all.

As for not paying taxes I would suggest you all look into all those people and businesses who go to the Cayman Islands and don't pay taxes...they are the big money makers, not the blue class working man , = the little man as the BP CEO calls them.
Man, I just don't understand this greed and need for more . .
You don't want to go back to ways which led you all to where you are now at.
Unless you all are the haves and have mores..
God , I know of people , rich people, who lost their shirts in the bank crises. They had nervous breakdowns
Did those bankers give a dam for them? nope.....and they are all raking in the big fat bonuses while others are unemployed and struggling.
including my cousin's husband. And is she evil for having to get medicare/Medicaid because she is ill.
Is she lazy? Is he lazy because his unemployment is running out after almost a year?

Where is compassion . Where is this FOR THE GRACE OF GOD, IT COULD BE ME?

Imagine yourself , being almost 25 and being told you have a brain tumor that most people die in less than two years and that you just started a job and haven't been in it a month.????
What would have happened to him if he lived in America?
My son, you were a loving and hopeful beautiful young man.
You loved your Sarit, your family and your country.
You were grateful with the time you had.

Your dad left this earth 3 months short of 55 years old. He worked all his life. His company was good to him and he was well taken care of.
Imagine being in Palliative care for 3 months in hospital. It was a beautiful place and he was well taken care of.

Glenn you were there for both of them. You saw both of their palliative care.
Didn't you think this was a good system?

your loving sister.

[Curmudgeoness]

36. You have so much important to say here...you should post this

in a new thread. I wish that we here in the US could find our way to a Medicare For All plan.